Uttarakhand GST dept busts syndicate that covered-up illegal timber sale

Using digital tracking and electronic surveillance, Uttarakhand tax authorities have busted a group of traders who would float fake firms to give a legal cover to their illegal trade of timber and its products and evade GST worth crores of rupees, officials said on Sunday.

The Uttarakhand GST department launched an expansive search and seizure operation -- named Operation D Day-Rising Woods' -- to unearth the racket in Jaspur area of Udham Singh Nagar district, they said.

Udham Singh Nagar is considered one of the biggest timber markets and timber and its products are supplied across the country from here.

The investigators suspect the involvement of people from other states such as Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi, Bihar and Rajasthan.

The operation involved 27 teams with more than 300 tax and forensic officials and financial technology experts and they raided 27 commercial establishments and residences of transporters, advocates and chartered accountants.

The investigators, who hav